Lol... Well I can't say I'm reading what would be considered "deep" philological books at the moment. I finished reading "Ready Player One" a few months ago and if you happened to grow up in the 80's then you should appreciate all of the pop culture references. Really good book and just a fun read.

I also read "The Martian" and I really like the fact that much input was gained from NASA in the research for that book. Very detailed and just a really good read. Watched the movie and although "close" to the book was still a decent movie. They hit the high points and other than the ending was pretty diligent to the actual book.

(03-03-2017 08:21 AM)RearViewMirror Wrote: Lol... Well I can't say I'm reading what would be considered "deep" philological books at the moment. I finished reading "Ready Player One" a few months ago and if you happened to grow up in the 80's then you should appreciate all of the pop culture references. Really good book and just a fun read.

I have read only one book that can be considered philological: Lingua Tertii Imperii by Victor Klemperer. Philosophical books are different beast altogether, though I care not if they're considered deep or "deep".

I also read for fun even if I don't make mention of such books in this thread.

The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology, of the phantom of God. As long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth.

Socialism is an area of study about which I have very little information. Perhaps you would be so kind as to share a few major points from your reading. I would be interested.

I could, but it would be just layman take. I can't say that my knowledge of this subject is far reaching or deep. Still, if you want:

First Bauman book is just shit, I have little patience to critique of capitalism and society which equal to consumption bad, people bad, and stuff. He had some good point about socialism being more valuable as mean to criticize capitalism faults and being best when it is just a dream enabling people to think that better life is possible, but overall I don't recommenced it.

Better is Andrzej Walicki book From the Communist Project to the Neoliberal Utopia It is brilliant critique of falsifying history by equaling communist utopia with countries of Soviet bloc. It does even better in showing how Poland right wing use anti-communism as something to legitimize it's moral crusade and how empty is said legitimization - How could one do something in name of anti-communism when there were no communism in Poland in the first place. Author doesn't beat only the poor right genetic patriots though - left get it's fair share of scorn for bowing to idol of market and fucking over workers. It's only in Polish though, but his other works are available in English.

That's probably not what you wanted, so I would say that I don't care much for socialism that is thing that didn't exist yet it is better than capitalism (paraphrasing Martina Malia quote from History's Locomotives: Revolutions and the Making of the Modern World here). Welfare state though is from what little I know something good, which we can see looking to Scandinavian countries or maybe even Germany. Edit: Really, socialism is nothing to be excited about. One could say that we are living in it.

I don't care for alienation, reification, working class leaping to kingdom of freedom or whatever words are sometimes mentioned in context of socialism. Marx could be good at criticizing capitalism but this all shit about alienation and kingdom of necessity is worth nothing. It was no fluke that whatever Marx envisioned grew into whatever Lenin built.

If you're interested in what is shaping my outlook on socialism then I would recommend you to read:

- Martin Malia - History's Locomotives: Revolutions and the Making of the Modern World and The Soviet Tragedy: A History of Socialism in Russia, 1917-1991
- Raymond Aron - The Opium of the Intellectuals
- Immanuel Wallerstein - World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction
- David Ost - Solidarity and the Politics of Anti-Politics: Opposition and Reform in Poland since 1968 and The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and Politics in Postcommunist Europe
- Tony Judt - Ill Fares the Land

The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology, of the phantom of God. As long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth.

(03-03-2017 08:59 AM)Szuchow Wrote: If you're interested in what is shaping my outlook on socialism then I would recommend you to read:

- Martin Malia - History's Locomotives: Revolutions and the Making of the Modern World and The Soviet Tragedy: A History of Socialism in Russia, 1917-1991
- Raymond Aron - The Opium of the Intellectuals
- Immanuel Wallerstein - World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction
- David Ost - Solidarity and the Politics of Anti-Politics: Opposition and Reform in Poland since 1968 and The Defeat of Solidarity: Anger and Politics in Postcommunist Europe
- Tony Judt - Ill Fares the Land

Thanks for the references. I checked out most of them at Amazon, and added World-Systems Analysis and Ill Fares the Land to my cart to consider for reading later. Both sound like they could help me understand the problems with our present political outlooks better. The world is so complicated now.

And thanks for your comments on socialism, but I am not even well-informed enough to appreciate your critiques, I'm sure.